Security Screening Protective Foot Liner

ABSTRACT

A thin, low profile, one time use, disposable non-padded and non-metallic material of ornamental shape, thickness, and flexibility with a low tack pressure sensitive adhesive side to adhere to the bottom of the foot, that protects a passenger&#39;s clean/healthy feet from contaminated floor surfaces, while keeping other passengers with dirty/unhealthy feet from transferring their own personal foot disorders onto the floor surfaces of security screening lines. The foot liner is used when passengers are required to remove their shoes during the security screening process before boarding their flight. The foot liner needs to be cost effective due to the large volume of passengers (1.7 million worldwide daily) throughout airports and has a built-in removal tab that can be any size, shape, or length, and can either be non-adhesive or have low tack pressure sensitive adhesive qualities (to stick to the heel to ensure no floor contact) for quick removal of the foot liner, so the wearer&#39;s fingers are not exposed to germs during the removal process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the top view of the foot liner along with the back linerstill applied (1) and the removal tab (2) used for removing the footliner after use.

FIG. 2 shows the side view of the foot liner with the back liner (3)attached to the low tack pressure sensitive adhesive foot liner (4)along with the removal tab (5) folded up to eliminate floor contact.

FIG. 3 shows the back liner (6) being peeled away from the foot liner(7). Fold removal tab (8) upward before applying the foot liner to thefoot.

FIG. 4 shows foot placement (9) on the foot liner.

FIG. 5 shows the foot liner (10) adhered to the bottom of the foot withthe removal tab folded upward.

FIG. 6 shows the foot liner being peeled away from the bottom of thefoot using the removal tab (11).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND OTHER INFORMATION

Most, if not all, airport security screening area floor surfaces e.g.carpet and tile, harbor germs and bacteria, especially since theintroduction of service animals. When travelers are required to removetheir shoes before entering the scanning process, their feet immediatelycome in contact with mold, bacteria, salmonella, campylobacter and evenE. coli, that reside on the floor surfaces. Tinea pedis (athlete's foot)is a common foot disorder caused by fungus that is transferred from oneperson to another and is estimated that 1 in 5 people have tinea pedisat any given time.

Currently, there are no cost effective, germ protective solutionalternatives that protect the feet of passengers that travel throughairports daily. The foot liner when worn properly can also mitigate theintroduction of the user's own medical foot disorders. Other productsthat have been developed such as padded liners or plastic slippers wouldbe either too expensive or wasteful due to the volumes needed atairports worldwide. Also, in the case of plastic slippers for example,placing one's foot inside plastic might create the foot to sweat and beuncomfortable. In the case of a foot with a sock on it, the contactbetween a sock and plastic might create a slip hazard.

The purpose for security screening in airports is to screen and observepassengers for objects, weapons, and liquids that are prohibited onairplanes while traveling. Current foot protectors like plastic slippersmay protect feet from contaminated surfaces, but they might providecover for individuals trying to hide objects, especially liquids insmall containers, past security within the slipper and would bedifficult for screeners to view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the amount of airport travelers daily (approx. 1.7 millionworldwide), the foot liner needs to be inexpensive, easy to self-apply,or with the help of others, either sitting or standing, quickly removedlimiting germ contact with hands, and easily disposed of. Othersolutions such as disposable shoe covers (hospital), foam footpadliners, and plastic slippers, are bulky and are not cost effective.Padded liners that are very sticky are specifically designed for comfortand wet surfaces e.g. showers, and do not have a tab attached for quickgerm-free removal, therefore exposing the wearer's fingers and defeatingthe whole purpose of a germ-free experience.

A better solution (foot liner) is needed to protect travelers in thecurrent Covid-19 and service animal environment.

The foot liner is comprised of a preferred embodiment of a flexible orrigid material e.g. paper with a low tack pressure sensitive adhesivebacking on one side that can be easily applied (after removing theback-liner) to the bottom of the foot for protection againstcontaminated floor surfaces. The low tack pressure sensitive adhesive issufficient enough to adhere to the foot but designed not to damage skinor delicate foot coverings, such as stockings/hosiery, when removed. Thefoot liners intention is to be worn for a short period of time (throughsecurity screening lines) on dry/low moisture surfaces, and thendiscarded after the screening process has been completed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A thin, on-time use, protective foot liner (FIG. 3) of, but not limitedto, paper, cloth, plastic, cardboard or any flexible or rigid material.One side of the liner (7) will have low tack pressure sensitive adhesivequalities to allow the foot liner to adhere to the bottom of a footafter application.

Application of the foot liner can be by hand, machine, or mechanicalsystem. Simply choose the foot liner, fold the removal tab (8) up andpeel off the back-liner (6), after folding the removal tab, and applyingthe foot liner to the bottom of the foot (FIG. 4), the removal tab isdesigned to eliminate contact with the contaminated floor when worn(FIG. 5).

After using the foot liner, the wearer's hands are protected from thebottom of the contaminated foot liner by using the removal tab. Simplypeel off the foot liner by using the removal tab (FIG. 6). Using theremoval tab (11), it can be easily unpeeled and removed, eliminating anycontact between the contaminated bottom surface of the foot liner andthe user's fingers.

Both the foot liner and the back-liner can be discarded into any trashreceptacle for possible recycling.

The foot liner can also be treated, if necessary, with asubstance/chemical that resists/kills germs with disinfectantabilities/qualities for even more protection. The foot liner will adhereto bare feet, socks, or hosiery. The foot liner is designed to, but notlimited to, just covering the sole of the foot e.g. the removal tabwhich can be stuck to the back of the foot if low tack pressuresensitive adhesive is applied during production to the foot liner. Thefoot liner has no particular shape or color as long as it protects thebottom of the foot completely. When worn properly, the foot liner willprovide a barrier between one's feet and any surface that has human oranimal traffic. It allows a traveler to go through airport securityscreening lines with confidence knowing they are eliminating personalcontact with the contaminated floor.

The foot liner can also provide a space for advertisement e.g. airportamenities, public awareness messages, application instructions etc. Aspassengers enter the security screening line and before they apply thefoot liner, they will be able to read any message or advertisement onthe foot liner's surface, both top and bottom.

The foot liner can be distributed at airline ticket counters, kiosks,vending machines, entry into the security screening lines, handed out byflight attendants, found in the back of airline seats, online, TV, ortravel leisure stores prior to a traveler's trip/vacation.

The invention claimed is: 1: A foot liner with a fold up tab for easyremoval after use, comprising of a thin non-padded, non-slip protectiveliner made of flexible or rigid material with a low tack pressuresensitive adhesive surface on one side, for adhering to the bottom ofthe foot, for use in a dry/low moisture environment to protect theuser's feet during use and user's hands after use (removal) fromcontaminated floor surfaces while participating in the securityscreening process at airports. 2: The foot liner of claim 1 furtherhaving a folding, non-adhesive or low tack pressure sensitive adhesiveremoval tab that can be any size, shape, or length and may or may nothave a perforation line used for folding upward whereas to eliminatecontact with the floor when worn properly and can be anywhere on thefoot liner, preferably located on the heel, which is used for easyremoval helping to protect the wearer's fingers from possible germcontact. 3: The foot liner of claim 1 in which the liner has anornamental shape designed to, but not limited to, covering just the soleof the foot to allow the security screeners a non-obstructive view ofthe complete foot. 4: The foot liner of claim 1 constructed of materialssuitable to be a one-time use disposable product. 5: The foot liner ofclaim 1 with a low tack, pressure sensitive adhesive so not to damagesocks, hosiery, or irritate the wearer's feet and is removed easily. 6:The foot liner of claim 1 which can be any color and can be used todisplay advertising, usage instructions, or other messages. 7: The footliner of claim 1 which can be treated with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,anti-odor, or other treatments. 8: The foot liner of claim 1 which canbe treated with anti-slip qualities on the bottom.